JVC (short for Japan Victor Company ) was a Japanese brand owned by JVCKenwood . Founded in 1927 as the Victor Talking Machine Company of Japan and later as Victor Company of Japan, Ltd. ( 日本ビクター株式会社 , Nihon Bikutā kabushiki gaisha ) , the company was best known for introducing Japan's first televisions and for developing the Video Home System ( VHS ) video recorder.
92-599: From 1953 to 2008, the Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. was the majority stockholder in JVC. In 2008, JVC merged with Kenwood Corporation to create JVCKenwood. JVC sold their electronic products in their home market of Japan under the "Victor" name with the His Master's Voice logo. However, the company used the name JVC or Nivico in the past for export; this was due to differing ownership of
184-691: A bond sale for $ US3.86 billion, most of it to be invested in Gigafactory. In November 2014, Panasonic announced its partnership with Photon Interactive to create customized and personalized digital signs in stores. In January 2015, Panasonic announced it had stopped making TVs in China and plans to liquidate its joint venture in Shandong. In March 2015, Panasonic announced plans to buy US satellite communication service provider ITC Global. Video rental shop A video rental shop / store
276-595: A museum .” Benjamin Owens, the owner of Film is Truth, a non-profit video rental outlet, points out that video stores may carry a larger selection of films than streaming platforms; he notes that while the "largest streaming provider, Netflix, has only 6,000 titles", Film is Truth has over 20,000 titles. An additional benefit that video stores provide to communities is that they give access to films to people with poor access to Internet and those who are not comfortably with adapting to online consumption. In 2010, Daniel Hanna,
368-604: A "music city" on Toronto's waterfront. In 2005, Matsushita Toshiba Picture Display Co. Ltd. (a joint venture between Matsushita and Toshiba created in 2002 ) stopped production of CRTs at its factory in Horseheads , New York. A year later, in 2006, it stopped production at its Malaysian factory, following heavy losses. In 2007, it bought the venture from Toshiba, eventually ending all production. On January 19, 2006, Matsushita announced that it would stop producing analog televisions (then 30% of its total TV business) from
460-556: A 5-to-4 ruling. Video games started being rented in video shops from 1982 . Some of the earliest game cartridges available for rental included Donkey Kong , Frogger and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial . However, not many stores made them available for rental at the time. In Japan , Nintendo Entertainment System games could be rented as early as 1983. However, in response to rental stores making pirated copies of game cartridges , video game companies, as well as
552-508: A 76.2% stake in FirePro Systems, an India-based company in infrastructure protection and security solutions such as fire alarm, fire suppression, video surveillance and building management. In April 2012, Panasonic spun off Sanyo DI Solutions, a digital camera OEM . In line with company prediction of a net loss of 765 billion yen, on November 5, 2012, the shares fell to the lowest level since February 1975 to 388 yen. In 2012,
644-510: A fast-growing business. By 1987, for example, Pennsylvania had 537 stores that primarily rented videotapes, with annual spending per resident of $ 10.50. By 1989, six years after its founding, Philadelphia's West Coast Video operated over 700 stores in the US, Canada , and the United Kingdom . In 1987, home video market revenues for the year surpassed box office revenues. In the 1980s, it
736-1125: A high-fidelity audio speaker in Japan in 1965 with the brand Technics . This line of high quality stereo components became a worldwide favorite, the most famous products being its turntables , such as the SL-1200 record player, known for its high-performance, precision and durability. Throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, Matsushita continued to produce high-quality specialized electronics for niche markets, such as shortwave radios, and developed its successful line of stereo receivers, CD players and other components. In 1968, Matsushita began to make rotary compressors for air conditioners, and, in 1971, it began to make absorption chillers, also for air-conditioning applications. In 1972, Matsushita established its first overseas factory, in Malaysia. In 1973, Matsushita established "Anam National", joint venture with Anam Group in South Korea. In 1983, Matsushita launched
828-499: A hobby and lent pieces of his collection to friends and acquaintances. Because they showed great interest in his films, he came up with the idea of renting out films as a sideline. Over the years, videotapes and optical discs were added to the range. Baum still operates the business as of April 2023 and was portrayed in the June 2006 documentary film Eckis Welt by Olaf Saumer. The first professionally managed video rental store in
920-939: A leader in the film industry as well. However, Matsushita subsequently sold 80% of MCA to Seagram Company for US$ 7 billion in April 1995, demoralized by the high volatility of the film industry. In 1992, Matsushita made the Panasonic FS-A1GT, the last model of the MSX turbo R computer. In 1993, Matsushita released the CF-V21P , the first notebook computer to have an integrated CD-ROM drive as an option (although only up to 80mm/3.5 inch diameter mini CDs instead of standard 120mm/4.7 inch diameter discs). In 1998, Matsushita sold Anam National to Anam Electronics. On May 2, 2002, Panasonic Canada marked its 35th anniversary in that country by giving $ 5 million to help build
1012-536: A line of bicycle lamps that were the first to be marketed with the National brand name. During World War II , the company operated factories in Japan and other parts of Asia which produced electrical components and appliances such as light fixtures , motors , electric irons , wireless equipment and its first vacuum tubes . After the war, the Matsushita group, largely having been split into MEI and MEW by
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#17327803181281104-456: A major channel for low-budget, feature-length indie movies when the large video store chains collapsed. Streaming services are less likely to produce this format, as they prefer binge-watching -oriented serials . Richard Brody argues that between 1985 and 1995, there was "a generation of filmmakers that included Tarantino and Steven Soderbergh , whose first films, Reservoir Dogs and Sex, Lies, and Videotape , respectively, were financed" by
1196-518: A message hidden in a VHS tape, in which Kevin Dillon plays the role of a video store clerk; Air Doll (2009) a Japanese film about a blow-up doll that comes to life and begins working in a video rental store; Bleeder (1999), a Nicolas Winding Refn film in which Mads Mikkelsen plays a lonely video store clerk; and Watching the Detectives (2007), a film in which Cillian Murphy plays
1288-421: A non-profit enables a video store to use volunteer personnel and apply for foundation grants, which can make it feasible to operate with less rental revenue. Meanwhile, at the end of 2022, there are still more than 2,000 video rental stores in Japan, including Tsutaya and Geo . However, as is typical, the number is decreasing year by year. In addition, Redbox has nearly 40,000 vending machine-type stores in
1380-579: A place "to congregate" and make "discoveries by browsing" the racks of film shelves, with the store providing a " film school , a social gathering, a place of cinematic discovery, date nights, and rites of passage ." He underscores the impact that video stores had by noting that when film director Quentin Tarantino , a former video rental store employee, learned that Video Archives in Hermosa Beach California (the store he had worked at)
1472-436: A press release following its announcement at IFA 2013, Panasonic announced that it had acquired the "Cameramanager video surveillance service" with the intention of expanding its reach to cloud-based solutions. In 2014, Panasonic Healthcare was bought by KKR . Panasonic Healthcare was renamed PHC in April 2018. In July 2014, it was announced that Panasonic has reached a basic agreement with Tesla Motors to participate in
1564-640: A product brand for MEI and subsequently the Panasonic Corporation. In September 2014, Panasonic announced the revival of the Technics brand, first in European markets in December of that year. Panasonic, then Matsushita Electric, was founded in 1918 by Kōnosuke Matsushita as a vendor of duplex lamp sockets. In the 1920s, Matsushita began regularly launching products. In 1927, he produced
1656-454: A promotional tape presented by BBC TV legend Cliff Michelmore , that "You'll be able to buy the sort of films the BBC and ITV will never show you, for whatever reason". The adult movie industry adopted VHS as their common format and with a certain level of software availability, hardware sales grew. In 1979, JVC demonstrated a prototype of its video high density (VHD) disc system. This system
1748-423: A shop scheduled for demolition; Clerks (1994), which depicts a day in the life of two bored, annoyed clerks, one that works in a video store; Speaking Parts (1989), a film directed by Atom Egoyan about a video rental store customer whose obsession with a minor actor pushes her to rent every film he has a bit part in; Remote Control (1988), a science fiction film about alien brainwashing scheme that uses
1840-424: A significant decline in the 21st century. Increasing accessibility of electronic medias in library circulation and widespread adoption of video on demand and video streaming services such as Netflix in the 2010s sharply reduced the revenues of most major rental chains, leading to the closure of most locations. Due to the precipitous drop in demand, few rental shops have survived into the present day. As of 2022,
1932-584: A similar arrangement with JVCKenwood. In Europe, JVC sells mainly some audio accessories, like headphones, and until recently DIN-type car audio. Also in Europe, JVC is present with camcorders, security cameras, audio systems, and with their emblematic boom box, projectors. JVC TV sets in Europe are manufactured mainly by Turkish manufacturer Vestel but are unavailable in all countries. JVC manufactures original audio equipment to vehicle manufacturers including Datsun , Nissan , Suzuki , and Honda vehicles. JVC
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#17327803181282024-829: A strategic capital alliance with Kenwood and SPARKX Investment, resulting in Matsushita's holding being reduced to approximately 37%. In March 2008, Matsushita (Panasonic) agreed to spin off the company and merge it with Kenwood Electronics, creating JVCKenwood Holdings on October 1, 2008. In April 2008, JVC announced that it was closing its TV plants in East Kilbride ( Scotland ) and Japan. This left it with one plant in Thailand. It stated it would outsource European production to an OEM . JVC TVs for North America are now being manufactured by AmTRAN Video Corporation along with distribution, service, and warranty under license from JVCKenwood. In Europe, Currys plc , owner of Currys , has
2116-672: A subsidiary of the United States' leading phonograph and record company, the Victor Talking Machine Company of Camden, New Jersey . In 1929, the Radio Corporation of America purchased Victor and its foreign subsidiaries, including the Japan operations. In the late 1920s, JVC produced only phonographs and records; following the acquisition by RCA, JVC began producing radios , and in 1939, Japan's first locally-made television . In 1943, amidst
2208-408: A vestige of the brief existence" of five video store owners who "cling to their dream of keeping the video rental industry alive." The impact of video rental stores on popular culture is attested to by filmmakers' use of video stores as a setting for a number of films from the 1980s to the 2000s. Examples include Be Kind Rewind (2008), in which Jack Black and Mos Def play rental store staff in
2300-472: A video store clerk who is a film buff who tries to get his customers interested in cinema. The decline of chain video stores was later addressed by the documentary film The Last Blockbuster (2020) and the TV sitcom Blockbuster (2022), a fictionalized version of the same premise. Renting books, optical discs, tapes, and movies is covered by copyright law . Copyright owners sometimes put warning notices on
2392-414: Is a physical retail business that rents home videos such as movies, prerecorded TV shows, video game discs and other media content. Typically, a rental shop conducts business with customers under conditions and terms agreed upon in a rental agreement or contract , which may be implied, explicit, or written. Many video rental stores also sell previously viewed movies and/or new, unopened movies. In
2484-513: Is a Japanese multinational electronics company, headquartered in Kadoma , Osaka , Japan. It was founded in 1918 as Matsushita Electric Housewares Manufacturing Works in Fukushima , Osaka by Kōnosuke Matsushita . In 1935, it was incorporated and renamed Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. In 2008, it changed its name to Panasonic Corporation . In 2022, it became a holding company and
2576-501: Is a well-known brand among English football fans due to the firm's sponsorship of Arsenal from 1981 to 1999, when Sega took over as Arsenal's sponsors. JVC's 18-year association with Arsenal is one of the longest club-sponsor associations with any professional club football. JVC also sponsored Scottish football club Aberdeen in the late-1980s and early-1990s as well as the FIFA World Cup from 1982 to 2002. JVC also sponsors
2668-552: The Copyright Modernization Act . Teachers can show "copyrighted commercially available movies for educational purposes", so long as it is part of a "classroom curriculum related context." In the United States, Title 17 of the United States Code indicates that it is "illegal to reproduce a copyrighted work" such as a rented VHS tape or DVD movie. In some cases, consumer rights in Europe and
2760-676: The Gigafactory , the battery plant that the American electric vehicle manufacturer plans to build in the U.S. In August 2014, Tesla said the plant would be built in the Southwest or Western United States by 2020. The $ US5 billion plant would employ 6,500 people, and reduce Tesla's battery costs by 30 per cent. Due to increased competition from China, Panasonic's Li-ion automotive market share decreased from 47% in 2014 to 34% in 2015. In June 2016, Tesla announced that Panasonic would be
2852-522: The High-Definition Audio-Video Network Alliance , to help establish standards in consumer-electronics interoperability. In 2005, JVC announced their development of the first DVD-RW DL media (the dual-layer version of the rewritable DVD-RW format). In December 2006, Matsushita entered talks with Kenwood and Cerberus Capital Management to sell its stake in JVC. In 2007, Victor Company of Japan Ltd confirmed
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2944-537: The Nikkei 225 and TOPIX 100 indices. It has a secondary listing on the Nagoya Stock Exchange . From 1925 to October 1, 2008, the company's corporate name was "Matsushita Electric Industrial Co." (MEI). On January 10, 2008, the company announced that it would change its name to "Panasonic Corporation", in effect on October 1, 2008, to conform with its global brand name "Panasonic". The name change
3036-578: The Panasonic brand, having phased out the Sanyo brand in the first quarter of 2012. It uses the marketing slogan "A Better Life, A Better World". The company has sold products under a number of other brand names during its history. In 1927, Matsushita adopted the " National " brand name for a new lamp product. In 1955, the company began branding audio speakers and lamps as " PanaSonic " for markets outside of Japan. Further refined to Panasonic, taken from
3128-604: The Panasonic Corporation . Panasonic released its ownership in 2007. In the 1960s, JVC established the Nivico (Nippon Victor Corporation) brand for Delmonico's line of console televisions and stereos. In 1970, JVC marketed the Videosphere , a portable cathode-ray tube (CRT) television inside a space-helmet-shaped casing with an alarm clock at the base. It was a commercial success. In 1971, JVC introduced
3220-787: The Panasonic Senior Partner , the first fully IBM PC compatible Japanese-made computer. A year later, Panasonic released the Executive Partner , the first affordable portable computer with a plasma display . Around this time the company also introduced inverter air conditioners. In 1984, Matsushita established the Panasoft software label, which published software for MSX computers from 1984 to 1989. The company also manufactured MSX computers of their own, such as Panasonic FS-A1. In November 1990, Matsushita agreed to acquire an American media company, MCA Inc. ,
3312-667: The Radio Corporation of America (RCA), purchased the Victor Talking Machine Company in 1929 and became RCA Victor in Japan, RCA also had acquired the use of Nipper and His Master's Voice logo, but for use in the Western Hemisphere . In 2011, JVC decided to phase out the "Victor" brand for electronics in Japan, but retained its use for its premium audio products, recording studios Victor Studio, and record label JVCKenwood Victor Entertainment . Panasonic Panasonic Holdings Corporation
3404-687: The Recording Industry Association of Japan and trade associations, lobbied for an amendment to the Japanese Copyright Act that banned the rental of video games in Japan in 1984. Some video game companies intentionally made their games more difficult to prevent them from being beaten during the rental period, in the hopes players would purchase games instead of renting. By mid-1985, the United States had 15,000 video rental stores, and many record , grocery , and drug stores also rented videotapes. By May 1988,
3496-536: The United Kingdom in 1984, to a limited industrial market. In 1981, JVC introduced a line of revolutionary direct-drive cassette decks, topped by the DD-9, that provided previously unattainable levels of speed stability. During the 1980s JVC briefly marketed its portable audio equipment similar to the Sony Walkman on the market at the time. The JVC CQ-F2K was released in 1982 and had a detachable radio mounted to
3588-563: The VHS-C format, rather than video8 . Ferguson was later acquired by Thomson SA , which ended the relationship. JVC later invented hard drive camcorders. In October 2001, the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences presented JVC an Emmy Award for "outstanding achievement in technological advancement" for "Pioneering Development of Consumer Camcorders". Annual sponsorships of the world-renowned JVC Tokyo Video Festival and
3680-621: The "away" shirts of the Australian A-League club, Sydney FC , and Dutch race driver Christijan Albers . JVC has also been a sponsor of a massively multiplayer online game called Rise: The Vieneo Province since 2003. JVC is generally known within Japan by the Victor brand, preceded by the His Master's Voice (HMV) logo featuring the dog Nipper . Because of a conflict in trademarks between HMV, RCA, and Victor, HMV and RCA are not allowed to use Nipper in Japan. At one time,
3772-434: The 1980s, video rental stores rented VHS and Betamax tapes of movies, although most stores dropped Betamax tapes when VHS won the format war late in the decade. In the 2000s, video rental stores began renting DVDs , a digital format with higher resolution than VHS. In the late 2000s, stores began selling and renting Blu-ray discs, a format that supports high definition resolution. Video rental stores have experienced
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3864-454: The 2020s). Such video rental stores as Toronto's Bay St Video have a larger selection than a streaming platform's movie list. The owner of Bay St Video states that they "have movies that go back to the beginning of filmmaking, from the first silent films ever made to stuff that was just in theatres – and everything in between. We have the history of cinema .” He calls the store's selection of films " libraryesque – almost like an archive or
3956-552: The His Master's Voice logo and the ownership of the "Victor" name from successors of the Victor Talking Machine Company . In 2011, the Victor brand for electronics in Japan was replaced by the global JVC brand. However, the previous "Victor" name and logo are retained by JVCKenwood Victor Entertainment , and are used as JVCKenwood's luxury HiFi marque. JVC was founded in 1927 as the Victor Talking Machine Company of Japan, Limited,
4048-482: The JVC Cutting Center to 1/2 speed master Stereo/Mono discs. In 1975, JVC introduced the first combined portable battery-operated radio with inbuilt TV, as the model 3050. The TV was a 3-inch (7.6 cm) black-and-white CRT. One year later, JVC expanded the model to add a cassette recorder, as the 3060, creating the world's first boombox with radio, cassette and TV. In 1976, the first VCR to use VHS
4140-645: The JVC Jazz Festival have helped attract the attention of more customers. JVC has been a worldwide football (soccer) supporter since 1982, having a former kit sponsorship with Arsenal and continuing its role as an official partner of 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan. JVC made headlines as the first-ever corporate partner of the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. JVC has recently forged corporate partnerships with ESPN Zone and Foxploration. In 2005, JVC joined HANA ,
4232-901: The National brand in Japan by March 2010. In September 2013, the company adopted a new tagline to better illustrate their vision: "A Better Life, A Better World." The Chinese company Shun Hing Electric Works and Engineering Co. Ltd (信興電工工程有限公司) has sold imported Panasonic and National branded product under the brand name Rasonic since the Matsushita Electric Industrial era. They have also sold MEI and Panasonic products under their original brand names. In June 1994, Panasonic Shun Hing Industrial Devices Sales (Hong Kong) Co., Ltd. (松下信興機電(香港)有限公司) and Panasonic SH Industrial Sales (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (松下電器機電(深圳)有限公司) were established by joint venture between Matsushita Electric Industrial and Shun Hing Group respectively, making Rasonic
4324-557: The National brand outside North America from the 1950s to the 1970s (the trademark could not be used in the United States because it was already in use). The inability to use the National brand name led to the creation of the Panasonic brand in the United States. Over the next several decades, Matsushita released additional products, including black and white TVs (1952), electrical blenders, fridges (1953), rice cookers (1959), color TVs, and microwave ovens (1966). The company debuted
4416-529: The Soul Entertainment , Redbox's parent, announced a $ 636.6 million loss in 2023, and warned that without any options to generate additional financing, the company may be forced to liquidate or pause operations, and seek a potential Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection filing. However, Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment did also report that Redbox's sales increased last year, seeing a 66% increase in annual revenue to $ 112.7 million. On June 29, 2024,
4508-488: The U.S. as of 2021. In 2022, CBC News reported that Ottawa still has two DVD rental stores: Movies n' Stuff (12,000 titles for rent and 40,000 more in storage) and Glebe Video International (18,000 titles for rent). Movies n' Stuff's owner, Peter Thompson, attributes the continued interest in video rental stores to the rising cost of streaming subscription services and patrons' desire for the personalized film recommendations he provides. On April 23, 2024, Chicken Soup for
4600-590: The U.S., Video Station, was opened by George Atkinson in December 1977 at 12011 Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles . After 20th Century Fox had signed an agreement with Magnetic Video founder Andre Blay to license him 50 of their titles for sale directly to consumers, amongst them Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid , M*A*S*H , Hello, Dolly! , Patton , The French Connection , The King and I and The Sound of Music , Atkinson bought all
4692-512: The US market in 1993; they stopped production of the format completely in 2002. One reason for the market penetration of VHS in the UK were the sales of blank tapes by JVC UK Ltd to major Hollywood studios. This launched the nascent home video rental market , which was hardly touched by Sony at the time. This ability to take movies home helped the sale of the VHS hardware immensely. Added to this JVC stated in
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#17327803181284784-400: The United States and met American dealers. The company began producing television sets for the U.S. market under the Panasonic brand name, and expanded the use of the brand to Europe in 1979. Its plant in 1963 produced eight TV sets per minute, accounting for 21.8% of Japan's production of cathode ray tube television sets at the time, the largest share out of any company. The company used
4876-413: The acquisition of Sanyo by Panasonic. The merger was completed in December 2009, and resulted in a corporation with revenues of over ¥11.2 trillion (around $ 110 billion). With the announcement that Pioneer would exit the production of its Kuro plasma HDTV displays, Panasonic purchased many of the patents and incorporated these technologies into its own plasma displays . In April 2011, it
4968-557: The additional challenge of dealing with rampant video piracy . On January 5, 2021, Glenview, Illinois -based Family Video announced it was closing all its remaining video rental stores. The company was the last remaining video rental chain in the United States; its closing marked the end of large video rental chains. In the 2020s, some video stores facing the loss of their business model have adapted by becoming non-profit organizations that focus on preserving an archive of film heritage and educating people about cinema. Operating as
5060-605: The case known as Sony Corp. of America v. Universal City Studios, Inc. The two studios tried to ban the sales of VCRs, and later the rental of movies, which would have destroyed the video rental business in the US. Justice Harry Blackmun sided with the studios, while Justice John Paul Stevens ruled in Sony's favor. Eventually, on January 17, 1984, the Supreme Court overruled the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals after Justice Sandra Day O'Connor changed her mind, leading to
5152-517: The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after missing a week of paying its employees and failing to secure financing. On July 10, 2024, a bankruptcy judge ordered to convert Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment's Chapter 11 bankruptcy into a Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation after accusing the company's previous CEO of misusing the business and failing to pay employees or support healthcare. Over 1,000 employees were laid off and over 26,000 Redbox kiosks will shut down permanently, marking
5244-522: The company used the Nivico name (for " Nippon Victor Company") overseas, before rebranding to JVC , which stands for Japan's Victor Company . Therefore, the Victor and JVC-Victor web sites looked quite different. Conversely, the HMV store chain exists in Japan (though no longer owned by HMV Group ), but it cannot use the His Master's Voice motto or logo; its logo is a stylized image of a gramophone only. After
5336-464: The convenience of choosing movies at home. With the advent of the World Wide Web , Internet services which streamed content as Netflix became increasingly popular starting in the mid–2000s. All the new ways of watching movies greatly reduced demand for video rental shops, and many closed as a result. In 2000, there were 27,882 stores renting videos open in the US, by late 2015, the number
5428-435: The dissolution imposed by the occupation force, imperfectly regrouped as a Keiretsu and began to supply the post-war boom in Japan with radios and appliances, as well as bicycles. Matsushita's brother-in-law, Toshio Iue , founded Sanyo as a subcontractor for components after World War II. Sanyo grew to become a competitor to Matsushita, but was later acquired by Panasonic in December 2009. In 1961, Matsushita traveled to
5520-607: The end of major physical video rental services in the United States. According to Daniel Herbert, a film professor at the University of Michigan , video rental stores "helped cement a local ' movie culture ' and contribute to the social fabric of a community in small but meaningful ways", in that customers sought advice from staff on what film to rent or chatted with other customers about "what to watch and why." Film critic Collin Souter states that video stores gave "film lovers"
5612-474: The exclusive supplier of batteries for its mass market vehicle Model 3. Batteries for the higher-end Model S sedan and Model X SUV will also be supplied by Panasonic. In early 2016, Panasonic president Kazuhiro Tsuga confirmed a planned total investment of about $ 1.6 billion by the company to construct Gigafactory to full capacity. However, after the number of Model 3 reservations became known in April, Panasonic moved production plans forward and announced
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#17327803181285704-791: The first VHS recorders to the consumer market in 1976 for the equivalent of US$ 1,060. Sony , which had introduced the Betamax home videocassette tape a year earlier, became the main competitor for JVC's VHS format into the 1980s, creating the videotape format war . The Betamax cassette was smaller, with slightly superior picture quality to the VHS cassette, but this resulted in Betamax having less recording time. The two companies competed fiercely to encourage others to adopt their format, but by 1984 forty companies were using JVC's VHS format, while only 12 used Betamax. Sony began producing VHS recorders in 1988. However, Sony stopped making Betamax recorders for
5796-567: The first discrete system for four channel quadraphonic sound on vinyl records - CD-4 (Compatible Discrete Four Channel) or Quadradisc , as it was called by the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) in the United States. In 1973, the JVC Cutting Center opened (in the USA) to provide mastering for CD-4 discs. The Mark II 1/2 speed system was used until mid-1975 when it was replaced with the Mark III 1/2 speed system. In 1978, Mobile Fidelity began using
5888-703: The graphics specification of the MSX-2 standard. However, like the Pioneer PX-7, it also carried a sophisticated hardware interface that handled video superimposition and various interactive video processing features. The JVC HC-95 was first sold in Japan, and then Europe , but sales were disappointing. JVC video recorders were marketed by the Ferguson Radio Corporation in the UK, with just cosmetic changes. However, Ferguson needed to find another supplier for its camcorders when JVC produced only
5980-473: The headphones for a compact, wire-free listening experience. JVC had difficulty making the products successful, and a few years later stopped making them. In Japan, JVC marketed the products under the name "Victor". In 1986, JVC released the HC-95, a personal computer with a 3.58 MHz Zilog Z80A processor, 64 KB RAM, running on MSX Basic 2.0. It included two 3.5" floppy disk drives and conformed to
6072-493: The home video market. Brody argues that for aspiring filmmakers, video stores they worked at became "launching pads of true outsiders ", and provided "counter-programming" to film school training by valorizing "anti-academic values of disorder, spontaneity, and enthusiasm." Friday Night at the Video Store is a National Film Board documentary directed by Cédric Chabuel and Alexandra Viau that aims to "record and preserve
6164-452: The hostilities between the United States and Japan during World War II , JVC seceded from RCA Victor , retaining the 'Victor' and "His Master's Voice" trademarks for use in Japan only. After the war, JVC resumed distribution of RCA Victor recordings in Japan until RCA established its separate distribution in Japan during the late 1960s. Today, the record company in Japan is known as Victor Entertainment . In 1953, JVC became majority-owned by
6256-511: The movie popped out of a slot. While traditional brick and mortar video rental stores were closing at a high rate, Redbox moved into existing retail locations such as supermarkets, and placed kiosks within them or outside of them to gain access to that consumer base. As well, with Redbox, consumers could rent the movie at one kiosk (for example, one near their work) and return it to any Redbox kiosk (for example, one near their home), thus increasing convenience. Redbox surpassed Blockbuster in 2007 in
6348-587: The next month, to concentrate on digital televisions. In 2008, all models of electric shavers from the Panasonic factory were called Panasonic shavers, and they dropped Matsushita and National from their name. In late 2006, Matsushita began talks with Kenwood Corporation to sell and spin off JVC. As of October 1, 2008, JVC and Kenwood merged to create the JVCKenwood Corporation. On November 3, 2008, Panasonic and Sanyo announced that they were holding merger talks, which eventually resulted in
6440-543: The number of US locations, passed 100 million rentals in February 2008, and passed 1 billion rentals in September 2010. Automatic DVD kiosks still required consumers to leave home twice, to rent the movie and return it. Widespread availability of video on demand (VOD) on cable TV systems and VHS-by-mail and DVD-by-mail services offered consumers a way of watching movies without having to leave home. Consumers preferred
6532-490: The number of specialty video stores was estimated to be 25,000, in addition to 45,000 other outlets that also offered video rentals. Grocery stores in the US rented tapes for as little as $ 0.49 as loss leaders . The press discussed the VCR "and the viewing habits it has engendered — the Saturday night trip down to the tape rental store to pick out for a couple of bucks the movie you want to see when you want to see it". Video rental stores had customers of all ages and were part of
6624-484: The other. During the 1980s, most stores eventually phased out their Betamax section and became all-VHS, contributing to the eventual demise of Beta as a home video format (nevertheless, the Beta form factor remained in use as a professional video format in broadcasting as Betacam ). In the late 1990s, DVDs began appearing in video rental stores. The format was smaller than tapes, allowing stores to stock more movies. As well,
6716-407: The owner of Toronto's Eyesore Cinema (an independent video shop) launched International Independent Video Store Day , which is held on the third Saturday of every October, to promote awareness of video rental stores and their unique contribution to film culture. Film professor Daniel Herbert says that the demise of the video store may affect independent film production. He states that studios lost
6808-546: The packaging of products such as DVDs to deter copyright infringement such as copying of movies. In Canada, movies are protected under the Canadian Copyright Act , so shifting from one format to another (e.g. "ripping" a digital copy of a rental DVD movie) is illegal. In 2012, public school teachers were granted some exemptions for the exhibition of films, when the Canadian Parliament passed
6900-536: The predecessor of both Universal Music Group and Universal Pictures , for US$ 6.59 billion. The acquisition was preceded by the takeover of Columbia Pictures by Sony , the arch rival of Matsushita. At the time, Matsushita had dominated the home video market with the company's leading position in the electronics market. It had been strengthened by VHS , the de facto standard of consumer videotape that Matsushita and JVC co-introduced. Inspired by Sony's bold quest for Hollywood, Matsushita believed it could become
6992-472: The process. Also, it sold some of Sanyo's home appliances business to Haier . In January 2012, Panasonic announced that it had struck a deal with Myspace on its new venture, Myspace TV . Myspace TV would allow users to watch live television while chatting with other users on a laptop, tablet or the television itself. With the partnership, Myspace TV would be integrated into Panasonic Viera televisions. On May 11, 2012, Panasonic announced plans to acquire
7084-413: The same time being "part of a "community of like-minded individuals." One argument for video stores is the element of investment; if "you're taking time to walk into a physical place, grab something and take it home, you'll be at least a little bit invested." As well, there is the "allure of browsing" the physical copies on the shelves (an appeal likened to the resurgence of interest in vinyl records in
7176-728: The shares plunged 41 per cent. On November 14, 2012, Panasonic said it would cut 10,000 jobs and make further divestments. On May 18, 2013, Panasonic announced that it would invest $ US40 million in building a factory in Binh Duong , Vietnam , which was completed in 2014. In July 2013, Panasonic agreed to acquire a 13% stake in the Slovenian household appliance manufacturer Gorenje for around €10 million. That same month, Panasonic signed an agreement with Sony Corporation to develop Archival Disc , described as an optical disc format for long-term data archival purposes. In
7268-494: The small number of remaining stores tend to cater to film buffs seeking classic and historic films, art films , independent films , foreign language films, and cult films that are less available on streaming platforms. The world's oldest business renting out copies of movies for private use was a film reel rental shop opened by Eckhard Baum in Kassel , Germany in the summer of 1975. Baum collected movies on Super 8 film as
7360-525: The thin, lightweight discs could be mailed, which made mail DVD services feasible. In the late 1990s, Netflix offered a per-rental model for each DVD but introduced a monthly subscription for DVDs concept in September 1999. The per-rental model was dropped by early 2000, allowing the company to focus on the business model of flat-fee unlimited rentals without due dates, late fees (a source of annoyance for bricks and mortar video store customers), shipping and handling fees, or per-title rental fees. Rogers Video
7452-413: The titles in both VHS and Beta formats, and offered them for rent. Such stores led to the creation of video rental chains such as West Coast Video , Blockbuster Video , and Rogers Video in the 1980s. Sony released its first commercially available video recorders in the United States on June 7, 1975, and the following year, on October 25, 1976, Universal and Disney filed a lawsuit against Sony in
7544-580: The words "pan" – meaning "all" – and "sonic" – meaning "sound", the brand was created for the Americas because the National brand was already registered by others. Panasonic also sold the first bread machine . The company began to use the brand name " Technics " in 1965 for audio equipment. The use of multiple brands lasted for some decades. While National had been the premier brand on most Matsushita products, including audio and video, National and Panasonic were combined as National Panasonic in 1997 after
7636-416: The worldwide success of the Panasonic name. In 1974, Motorola sold its Quasar brand and facilities to Matsushita. In May 2003, the company announced that Panasonic would become its global brand, and launched the global tagline "Panasonic ideas for life." By March 2004, Matsushita replaced the National name for products and outdoor signboards, except for those in Japan. They would eventually phase out
7728-469: Was announced that Panasonic would cut its work force by 40,000 by the end of fiscal 2012 in a bid to streamline overlapping operations. The curtailment is about 10 percent of its group work force. In October 2011, Panasonic announced that it was going to trim its money-losing TV business by ceasing production of plasma TVs at its plant in Amagasaki , Hyogo Prefecture by March 2012, cutting 1,000 jobs in
7820-626: Was approved at the shareholders' meeting on June 26, 2008. In 2022, Panasonic announced a reorganization plan which split the company into Panasonic Holdings Corporation (the former Panasonic Corporation) and conversion of its divisions into subsidiaries; the Lifestyle Updates Business Division being the division that took the Panasonic Corporation name after the reorganization. The reorganization took effect on April 1, 2022. Panasonic Corporation currently sells virtually all of its products and services worldwide under
7912-439: Was capacitance-based, like capacitance electronic disc (CED), but the discs were grooveless with the stylus being guided by servo signals in the disc surface. The VHD discs were initially handled by the operator and played on a machine that looked like an audio LP turntable , but JVC used caddy-housed discs when the system was marketed. Development suffered numerous delays, and the product was launched in 1983 in Japan, followed by
8004-402: Was closing, he bought the entire "inventory and recreated the store in his basement", as for him, "that place [was] a lifesaver." A 2018 article about video stores states that they are appealing because "people crave being together to pick entertainment" and the chance to "chat with a staff member" "who can be relied upon for reviews and recommendations and who truly love what they do", while at
8096-434: Was common for shops to rent equipment—typically VHS recorders—as well as tapes. Some video shops also had adults-only sections containing X-rated videos. Some video stores exclusively sold X-rated suggestive films, often along with related sex shop items. To cope with the videotape format war of the 1970s and 1980s, some stores initially stocked both VHS and Betamax cassettes, while others specialized in one format or
8188-553: Was down to 4,445. Over 86% of the 15,300 U.S. stores (specializing in video rentals) open in 2007 were reported to have closed by 2017, bringing the total to approximately 2,140 remaining stores. The total income from brick and mortar rentals for 2017 was about $ 390 million. In mid-June 2020, Malaysian video rental chain Speedy Video closed its 14 remaining shops in response to competition from satellite television and streaming platforms. In Asia, video rental stores faced
8280-472: Was renamed. In addition to consumer electronics , of which it was the world's largest maker in the late 20th century, Panasonic offers a wide range of products and services, including rechargeable batteries , automotive and avionic systems, industrial systems, as well as home renovation and construction. Panasonic has a primary listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and is a constituent of
8372-887: Was the Victor HR-3300 , and was introduced by the president of JVC at the Okura Hotel in Tokyo on September 9, 1976. JVC started selling the HR-3300 in Akihabara , Tokyo, Japan on October 31, 1976. Region-specific versions of the JVC HR-3300 were also distributed later on, such as the HR-3300U in the United States, and HR-3300EK in the United Kingdom. In the late 1970s, JVC developed the VHS format, introducing
8464-472: Was the first chain to provide DVD rentals in Canada. Other chains and independent stores later transitioned to the newer format. Similarly, many video stores rented Blu-ray Disc movies after the high definition optical disc format war ended in the late 2000s. Some firms rented DVDs from automatic kiosk machines such as Redbox . Customers selected a movie from a list using buttons, paid by credit card, and
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